Can you make a living doing stop motion?

SparkleStorm created the topic: Can you make a living doing stop motion?

Doing stop motion, and creating puppets?
I always wondered this since you rarely see stop motion used, though I did see Disney Channel use it for a small short on Star Vs the forces of evil, most people use 3d animation now.

animateclay replied the topic: Can you make a living doing stop motion?

Anything is possible but right now the market for stop motion is mixed. It is really hard to make it because studios that actually hire are sparse. As you say CG is the dominant force at the moment.

I watched the Disney channel also and the CG is so horribly wooden and ugly to watch. Then again there is bad stop motion too - but there's at least charm in seeing real puppets move around.

If you want to get into stop motion it doesn't take a ton of money, and buying cameras can serve a dual purpose. Starting out as a hobby is what we all did (or do) and you never know where it could lead. It really is a fun as a hobby - and for those who take it all the way, a fun job.

Its hard to make a living with any type of animation with the exception of CG for the game industry. Stop motion is just another form of art that's made a little bit of a come back dew to the lower cost of Cameras and hardware used. Like Marc said you don't need to spend big bucks on computer slides and camera rigging and there are cheap peaces of software out there. A good DSLR and some good lights is the only thing I would say you must have but I have seen lots of good looking peaces of art out there done with a Cellphone camera its just a lot harder to get that finished look.

As for puppets any thing goes, Clay is used when you need to make changes to the puppet from frame to frame but Polymer can be used for replacement peaces, heads hands feet and all sorts of props. But any thing can be used in stop motion and then there is lighting your sets. In CG they have entire crews that work on trying to get the lighting just right and its not always easy. Stop motion is more like a movie set with a Stage, puppets, lights, camera and effects.

Then there is story telling I think Stop motion works well with Artists that have stories to tell and the Internet has opened a hole new world for story tellers. If you have some ideas never before has it been easer to put them out there and even if a 10th of a tenth of 1% of the people out there on line see your work and like your stories you will/ can make some money.